1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door grommet assembly to be assembled, with excellent water resistance, to a door of an automobile with a plurality of electric wires inserted and its assembly structure.
2. Related Art
FIG. 15 shows the form of a related art door grommet assembly (refer to JP-A-2001-354085).
The door grommet assembly 81 is composed of a grommet main body 82 made of a synthetic rubber, a hard inner member 83 made of a synthetic resin insert-molded into the grommet main body 82, and a protector 84 locked as opposed to the inner member 83.
The grommet main body 82 is composed of a collar part 85, a bellows part 86 protruding from the collar part, and a cup-shaped part 87 integrated with the front end of the bellows part 86. On the inner surface of the collar part 85 is integrally formed the inner member 83. In the inner member 83 is provided a hole 88 in communication with the bellows part 86. From the collar part 85 is protruded backward an electric wire guide plate for the inner member 83. In the collar part 85 are provided a fixing hole 89 and a hard sleeve inside the same.
The protector 84 is formed of a synthetic resin in the approximately V-shape and has a slanted peripheral wall 90 on its periphery as well as a plate part 91 opposed to the electric wire guide plate. On the tip of the protector 84 is provided a locking projection 92. The inner member 83 includes an engaging hole corresponding to the locking projection 92. To the plate part 91 is fixed by tape winding a wound bundle of a plurality of electric wires.
A grommet fitting groove 94 is provided from the front end wall to the inner wall of a metallic inner panel 93 of an automobile door. The fitting groove 94 includes a shallow groove part 94a for fitting the collar part 85 of the grommet main body 82 and a deep groove part 94b for fitting the protector 84. In the bottom of the shallow groove part 94a are provided a hole 95 and a nut (not shown) at the rear side thereof.
As shown in FIG. 16, a plurality of electric wires 97 are laid along the inner panel 93 of the automobile door 96. Connectors 98 of terminals of the electric wire 97 are connected to accessories such as a power window motor, a door lock unit, a loudspeaker and a door mirror unit inside the door.
The collar part 85 of the grommet main body 82 is fixed to the front end wall of the inner panel 93 with a bolt 99 in close contact with the wall surface of the fitting groove 94 to provide favorable water resistance. The bellows part 86 of the grommet main body 82 is arranged between the grommet main body 82 and a vehicle body (nit shown). The cup-shaped part 87 is fitted to the hole in the vehicle body.
A weatherstrip (not shown) is arranged on the collar part 85 of the grommet main body 82. The inner panel 93 and an outer panel 100 constitute the door panel 96. To the inner panel 93 is attached a door trim (not shown) made of a synthetic resin.
The related art door grommet assembly 81 requires threading an electric wire 97 through the hole 88 in the inner member 83 and fastening the bolt 99 for fixing the grommet to the door panel 93. This presents a problem of poor assembly workability that requires a large number of man-hours of assembly and a problem of an increased management cost and overall product cost due to an increased number of components such as the bolt 99, the inner member 83 and the protector 84 for protecting electric wires.